J Pat Carter / AP

A trainer uses an iPad as she works with an orangutan at Jungle Island in Miami. The devices are too fragile to actually hand over to the apes - the trainers must hold them.

J Pat Carter / AP

Linda Jacobs says orangutans are extremely intelligent but limited by their physical inability to talk.

The Associated Press reports — The 8-year-old twins love their iPad. They draw, play games and expand their vocabulary. Their family's teenagers like the hand-held computer tablets, too, but the clan's elders show no interest.

The orangutans at Miami's Jungle Island apparently are just like people when it comes to technology. The park is one of several zoos experimenting with computers and apes, letting its six orangutans use an iPad to communicate and as part of a mental stimulus program. Linda Jacobs, who oversees the program, hopes the devices will eventually help bridge the gap between humans and the endangered apes.

"Our young ones pick up on it. They understand it. It's like, 'Oh, I get this,'" Jacobs said. "Our two older ones, they just are not interested. I think they just figure, 'I've gotten along just fine in this world without this communication-skill here and the iPad, and I don't need a computer.'"

Video: Baby orangutan steps out in Madrid

It's important to note that training the orangutans isn't done to entertain Jungle Island workers or guests. Because the animals are so intelligent, Jacobs said their minds must be kept active to prevent them from getting bored or depressed. The challenge is making the enrichment activities enjoyable.

"They need a lot of stimulation," Jacobs said. "Training isn't mandatory, but they love it." Read the full story.

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J Pat Carter / AP

The software was originally designed for humans with autism and the screen displays pictures of various objects. A trainer then names one of the objects, and the ape presses the corresponding button.

J Pat Carter / AP

While Jenna Hogg, pictured, and other trainers have developed strong relationships with the orangutans, the iPad and other touchscreen computers offer an opportunity for them to communicate with people not trained in their sign language. Pictures taken in February and April 2012 but made available today.

Slideshow: Animal Tracks: April 25 - May 2

Esteban Cobo / EPA

From a dog in a dress to a momma gorilla holding her baby, get your cuteness fix with irresistible photos of creatures great and small.

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Is there anything cuter than baby animals? Yes! Check out these baby animals kissing their parents!

Oliver Berg / EPA

Polar bear cub Anori cuddles with his mother Vilma at the zoo in Wuppertal, Germany, on March 29. Anori was born on Jan. 4 and has stayed in a closed enclosure with his mother for the past two months. He is the half-brother of Knut, who died in 2011.

Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters

A male Sumatran orangutan dad gets a kiss from his cub inside their enclosure at a city zoo in Moscow on March 30.

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AFP - Getty Images

In this undated handout picture released by Indonesia's Centre for Orangutan Protection on September 17, 2011 Tori, a five-year-old orangutan, smokes a cigarette he got from visitors at Taru Jurug animal park in Solo, Central Java.

Anwar Mustafa / AFP - Getty Images

In this photograph taken September 21, 2011 a young male orangutan named Tori reaches to visitors at its enclosure at the Taro Jurug Zoo in Solo city, Java island.

Full story.

Ilya Naymushin / Reuters

Buyan, a male Siberian brown bear, is given a shower by a zoo employee in his enclosure at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk on July 1. The air temperature in Krasnoyarsk rose to 96 degrees fahrenheit on Friday.

Keith Srakocic / AP

Goyang, a 12-year-old male orangutan, plays with the bubbles placed into a water filled plastic swimming pool placed into its containment area at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium on Friday, July 1, in Pittsburgh. The zoo staged what they called an orangutan beach party with the pool, plastic chairs, and beach towels to promote family week at the complex.

Keith Srakocic / AP

Goyang, a 12-year-old male orangutan, top, dumps the water out of the plastic swimming pool placed into its containment area at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquaurium on Friday, July 1, 2011 in Pittsburgh. The zoo staged what they called an orangutan beach party with the pool, plastic chairs, and beach towels to promote family week at the complex. Kechong, another 12-year-old male, is at left.

 Check out more animal photos in our latest edition of Animal Tracks.

Andrea Comas / Reuters

Baby orangutan 'Boo,' plays with a blanket at the Madrid Zoo and Aquarium, April 14.

Andrea Comas / Reuters

'Boo,' a 9-month-old orphan, plays with a toy during a presentation at the Madrid Zoo and Aquarium, April 14. Boo, the first orangutan born at the zoo, has been adopted by a female orangutan and is bottle fed by one of the keepers.

 According to the Madrid Zoo's website:

He was born on July 5, 2010 and at the end of February, his mother died from a chronic pulmonary disorder. Despite having had this condition for years, she was able to give birth normally and took excellent care of Boo until she passed away. The zoo tried to make sure her death had minimal impact on Boo – they fed him three times a day and started to reintroduce him to his “aunts” in order to make sure he wasn’t imprinted with human behavior.

I have to nominate 'Boo' for our 'cutest-thing-ever.' You can see the other nominees here. Or see more photos of animals in our weekly slideshow, 'Animal tracks.'